Closure



Feh 2L 195% T. H. RISK 2,49%,345

CLOSURE Filed Nov. 8, 1946 l N VEN TOR.

Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

1 This invention relates to an improved bung or closure for receptacles such as drums, cans, and the like and is a. continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 583,596, filed March 19, 1945,

now Patent Number 2,417,703.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a bung or closure for receptacles that will prevent leakage of liquid from the receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bung or closure that can be easily applied to an opening in a receptacle and can be easily removed therefrom.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a closure of sufficiently great structural strength to withstand usage to which receptacles equipped therewith are subjected.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure which does not destroy or render unuseable the gasket customarily used in conjunction with a removable closure.

. the closure taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

showing the manner in which the parts of the closure are assembled together prior to welding; Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the closure taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l,

showing the closure with the parts welded together in the finished closure;

Figure 4 is a plan view looking at the top of a slightly modified form of closure in accordance with my invention;

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 4, showing the closure when screwed into the bung hole'Of a container in operative position.

Referring to the drawings, particularly to Figures 1 to 3, the numeral l indicates a spring plate having a circular periphery 2 and a gentle curvature with the upper face thereof convex and the lower face thereof concave. The spring plate I is of sufficient thickness to withstand deflection unless a considerable pressure is applied to the outer edge thereof. I have found that a plate which requires a tightening torque of 25 to 60 pounds to bring the plate to its fully deflected position is satisfactory. A closure of the size shown and described witha three inch diameter spring plate will fit a standard fifty-five gallon steel drum. In a closure of this size, I prefer a plate having a thickness ofabout .0375 inch (20 gauge). It is apparent that the thickness of the spring plate may vary from this figure depending on whether a plate requiring greater or lesser torque to bring the closure into fully closed position is desired. For a closure having a spring plate of three inch diameter, I have found where the spring has a curvature such that it forms a section of the surface of a sphere having a radius of nine inches, satisfactory results are obtained. It will be understood, however, that the curvature of the plate may be greater or lesser than nine inches, and that the tightening torque will vary as a function of the curvature of the plate.

Although I have shown and described a plate which is the section of the surface of a sphere, it will be understood that a plate of somewhat different configuration as, for example, one which is frustro-conical in shape with a substantially circular edge may be used with satisfactory results.

Fixed to the top side of the plate adjacent their centers is a nut. 3 which in the form of the closure shown in Figures 1 to 3, has a hexagonal periphery 4 and in Figures 4 and 5, has an octagonal periphery 5. The center portion 6 of the nut is formed with a slightly depressed circular ring I to form a surface for projection welding the nut to the top of the spring plate I. The under surface of the portion 6 conforms closely to the contour of the upper surface of plate I. The outer portion of the nut 3 is formed with an annular raised channel 8 open at the bottom for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The outer lower edge on lip 9 of the nut 3 is slightly lower than the middle bottom surface H of the nut 8. The nut 3 can be made by stamping a metal blank into the shape shown and described.

A screw plug l3 having a circular periphery, is fastened to the lower surface of the spring plate I adjacent the centers thereof and is formed with a circular slightly raised projection IS on the top thereof which projection is adapted to register with the projection 5 of the nut 3. I The purpose of the circular projection I5 is to permit the screw plug l3 to be projection welded to the bottom of the spring plate I. The top surface l6 of the plug l3 has a curvature generally conforming to the curvature of the under surface of plate I. The plug is formed with an outside thread l1 along the sides thereof, to enable it to be screwed into a threaded bung hole, Although I have shown a threaded plug, the plug may be of other Well-known types which are adapted to fit into a hole and be pulled to a tight position by turning motion.

When the plate I, nut 3, and plug I3 are projection welded, they form a unitary structure as shown in Figures 3 and 5, with the plate I lying snugly on the top of the plug I3 and the bottom center surface of the end 3 lying on the top center of the plateI. 'As shown in the drawing'fthecircumferencgofthe plate I is greater tharithecircumference of the plug I3 in order to provide a surface under which a gasket I9 (Figure can be held when the plug is in operative position. 4111 a closure having a plate with a diameter of three inches, the circumference of the plug. inay'zbeeapproximately 2%" to 2%",uthereby providing; an annular portion of the plate extending'ra'dially from approximately A to of an inch-i-beymld the lateral side of the plug.

'Inr the preferredsfformiof mytin-vention, thee-nut 3rhas a periphery-smaller ethanzthe peripherya-of rthe 5 spring plate iink orderto permit visible ..ob- :i'servation of: the: nuti -whenl inztoperative gposition -.=eand.rdetermine whether-the eplate :is;pulled ..up

ssnuglyagainsttthenlower edge of -the nut. i-Itwis -.-:important that-.the-liprof. theanut be adjacent .the periphery -.of the plate in r order --to prevent r-the ;.plate from going Rover center when the closure is pulled:tightlyiin operative position. lAsshown rinrthet drawings, the .distancebetween .the oppo- :ESitiErSidESrOf the. hexagonal.zoroctagonallmitrused in-..connection 2witha -.plate :having 1 a..circumf-er- 'ienceeof, three-:- inches,..is approximately 12% '1'. I

fItriS importantlth-ati-the lowerlouterredgewflof the nut be slightly-below thes-top center pointlZ I of the ;plate I- so that whenthe-springJ-is pulled up inoperative position, the; spring ,-.plate rnever Iquitelreachesdeadicenter. Th-is-structure insures that.- the tension-of ,the zspringwilltalwayskbe exfierted :againsttheegasket I9.and "keep .theclosure tight (when in operative position.

-I; have found-that whenthelip orllowerouter edge 9 of the nut is approximately 1002 'toQQ'O'? -=of can inch below the ntop lcentervof -the spring plate, the---.closure.operates satisfactorily.

.In. order to prevent thepossibilityof thegclosure r f-ailing to function properlymbeoause ;of-accumulan-tionl of :dirt between .the top...of theespringnplate' I land the Qbottomr-of ;the. nut 3,.the.nut= is; formed -withran annular channel .18 between lip 19 sand :center portionifi oflthe nut3. lParti'c'lescofi'dirt which accumulate under the .nut which :might :wedge between .the..lower.. sur'facedf the .nut and atop. surface of the; plate .an'd preventi thewendifrom J -;being-.-tightened. to.its fullylalosoLpositiorrif:the

.mnden surface of tthe nut weresubstantially-Ifiat, are able to l lodge. in the echannelLB and "doznot rinterfere with. the tightening.ofLtheclosure.

v "The plugl3lmayihave radial. ribs flnotshown) extending alongithe. bottomlsuriface ;2.3..fromi'the pcen-ter .to the :lateral side .in order .lto .reiriforce wand strengthenatheplug.

The not 3 r and, the ..plu;g. l3+are madejfromisuf- ,xficiently-rheavy stocklsoithatltheywwillwithstand the torque to I which the .iclosure -is .slibjectd 11in xlopening ,and .:closing the ;closure rand shock Lto .avhich-r 'it is subjected. ;In natpclosurevnf ..the:.:size :;.-hereinbefore described and. shownlinithe draw- .ings, 12 gauge steelhaving .a ...thickness '.of..109 inch, will-be satisfactory. The circumference of ithe weld on. the v.closureldescribed and; shownisiFA; inch. -.The:;distanee:. from thellip. or .outer .lower sedge-:9 of themutl-htoztheitop thereoiistapproxirmatelwhpinch; Inithe closurashowmimFi-gures 1 to 3, the diameter of the central circular portion 6 of the nut 3 is 1% inches. In the closure shown in Figures 4 and 5, the portion 6 is in the form of a square with each side having a length of approximately 1% inches.

As shown in Figure 5, the closure is adapted to be screwed into a threaded opening 21 of a barrel, can or other container with a suitable gasket I9 plated between the top of the container and the :outer-:. portion of .-,the plate I. A :suitable wrench can be "applied to the periphery of the nut 3 to turn the closure until the upper face of {the plate abuts the lip 9 of the nut. At this point, the torque required to turn the nut increases "greatly, thereby indicating that the closure is in xcloseds position. Whether or not the closure is in.fully..closed position can also be Visually observed.

.-Although any type of commercial gasket such as those made of cork'sand synthetic rubber, or

. plain .synthetic 4 rubber work satisiactorily with .,my closure, .I prefer? to use. a. hard type ggasket suchv as. a'sbestosfiber impregnated with graphite rsincefga'skets. of. this type. do not deterioratemover 'long periods of'time whenused .inlconjunction with myclosure.

Itwill .be .apparent that ..nuts having jdi'fierent shapes from those shown and edescribedumaylbe used .as apartof the closure,solongeaslthey lprovidela surface to whichi-a wrench can'belap plied. for opening and closing the closure,;and so long as a bottom surface is provided against which the spring, plate canoabut inoperativegposition to, prevent theplateffromgoing over Idead center. It willoalsolbe apparent that thelperiphery of the nut can be greater or lesswithireelation to the peripheryof-the spring ,platethan shown andldesoribe'd. A closure in accordance with my invention will function satisfactorily if the lip9 extends outto substantially'the,periphery. of the plate I. As previously pointed out,'the

peripheryof the nut"3 should not be sosmall as to permit "the plate tozgo over .dead center when pressure'is appliedto'the under outer edgejportionthereof.

The plug I 3 .mayalso be larger orsmaller'with "relation to the periphery of theplate than shown and described, depending on the' width of the gasket it is desired to use in connection with the closure .and the size of the bung hole' in which the closure is to be ffitte'd.

.Although I prefer'to'weld'the cap, nut'and plug together in a unitary structure, theclosureimay beforme'd in other Ways, asfor examplefiby :riveting.

"Where'larger or :smaller closures thantho'se shown'and describe'dare to be made, Ispreferito keep the .relationsh ip'between the parts .as "to size, approximatelyv the same as those previously described, although this relationship may befide- ,.parted from without losing'the'benefits ofithe invention.

"The spring plate I must-be made of a material having a high degree of elasticitysuchas spring 2565 steel. vI prefer to make the.entire.closure*of :steel, .althoughthe portions .of the closure other than the. spring .plateemaybe made 16f other metialsor. materials, such as brass or,plastic3;possessing1sufiicient. strength .to prevent breakage .dur-

.ing opening and closingorduring shippingof the receptacle or container. to which the closureis aapplied.

CIt isfclaimed:

eAl closure .zcomprising aa jplug .adapted tto the 76 iztightenedh in. an opening of a container- -by turndill 'E' ing motion, a spring plate and a nut all fastened together as a unit adjacent the centers thereof in face contacting relation with the plate between said plug and nut, the peripheral unfastened portion of the plate being normally in spaced relation to the nut throughout the peripheral portion of the nut, said spring plate having a circular periphery extending beyond the periphery of said plug to provide a surface under which a gasket can be accommodated, the peripheral portion of said plate sloping away from the nut toward said plug, said nut having a lower edge portion, extending below the center of the upper face of said plate, adapted to contact said plate in operative position as a result of said plate being flexed toward said lower edge of said nut, said nut also having an annular inverted channel adjacent said edge, the relation between the peripheral portion of said plate and said lower edge portion of said nut being such as to prevent said plate from going over center when in operative position.

2. A closure in accordance with claim 1 in which said edge portion of said nut is adjacent to but spaced inwardly from the periphery of said plate and said annular channel is immediately adjacent to said edge portion.

3. A closure in accordance with claim 1 in which the spring plate is a solid area portion of the surface of a sphere and the nut has a multisided periphery.

4. A closure in accordance with claim 1 in which the plate and nut are welded together a short distance from the centers thereof and said channel is formed between said weld and said edge portion immediately adjacent the latter.

5, A closure in accordance with claim 1 in which said nut has a center portion below the top of said channel and which is adapted to lie snugly on the upper middle surface of and be rigidly fastened to said plate, said channel being formed between and immediately adjacent said center and said edge portions.

THOMAS H. RISK.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Risk Mar. 18, 1947 Number 

